Friday afternoon members of the Haitian National Police (PNH) from the heavily armed "Fantom 509" group, mostly wearing balaclavas and some with the PNH uniforms took to the streets in Port-au-Prince.

Several individuals on motorcycles brandishing their assault weapons and firing bursts caused panic among the population and among traders, particularly in downtown Port-au-Prince, Delmas and Pétion-ville.

Highly motivated and violent, the demonstrators joined by extremist activists of the radical opposition vandalized cars and set at least 3 vehicles on fire with "State Service" plates in their path.

Clashes broke out at Canapé-Vert where an agent of the SWAT unit Patrick Anozart, fell under the assassination bullets in front of the police station, which provoked a violent response from the special unit against the members of "Fantom". 509 ”.

During the shooting, 4 "police officers" attackers were killed : Wilbert Fleurant, Walta Bichotte, Marcéus Junior and Joseph Adam. Several others were reportedly injured and are being actively sought. Police officer Reynald Courtois, one of the Chiefs of Fantom 509 has been arrested, confirmed Léon Charles the Director General a.i. of the PNH.

On Saturday Léon Charles and the Chief Inspector General of the PNH Frantz Jean François received a visit from the Head of State Jovenel Moïse following the tragic death of Agent Patrick Anozart. Members of the victim's family were also present during this sympathy visit "[...] I am deeply moved by the untimely death of this young agent. My sympathies to his family," declared Moïse adding "I strongly condemn the assassination of Agent Patrick Anozard, of the Swat Team, in full exercise of his mission of protecting the population against these bandits who sowed disorder yesterday in the capital city. I take this opportunity to encourage the PNH to track down these armed individuals."

In a note, Rockefeller Vincent, the Minister of Justice and Public Security "[...] vehemently condemns the assassination of policeman Anozart by terrorists who attack the republican forces and who sow chaos in the streets of the Capital. The Minister expresses his deep sympathies to the family and brothers in arms of this valiant policeman who paid at the price of his blood, to protect and serve the population in accordance with his mission.

Minister Vincent congratulates the High Command of the National Police of Haiti which reacted promptly and effectively by firmly facing these bandits used for the purposes of political turbulence. He instructs the Public Prosecutor's Office of Port-au-Prince to expedite, in concert with the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police, a criminal investigation, in order to identify and pinpoint the intellectual and material authors and accomplices of these serious terrorist acts. The State will never bow to the bandits."

SL/ TB/ HaitiLibre